1. Field of the Disclosure
This disclosure relates generally to a system, method and apparatus for pairing postpaid SIM or UICC cards with authorized wireless devices. More specifically, this disclosure relates to a system, method and apparatus for pairing postpaid SIM or UICC cards with authorized wireless devices in order to restrict usage of the postpaid SIM or UICC cards to certain devices.
2. Related Art
Certain companies that provide postpaid wireless services, such as mobile phone service, can be wireless carriers that maintain and control their own wireless networks, where carriers rely heavily on backend systems to address any provisional, billing, security and data issues that might threaten the health of their networks. Wireless carriers also typically offer multi-tiered postpaid offerings which allow their subscriber's unrestricted access to their network by progressively charging or taxing them based on their network usage based on data usage and airtime usage.
A Mobile Virtual Network Operator (MVNO) is a mobile operator that typically does not own its own frequency spectrum and typically does not have its own network infrastructure. Instead, MVNOs have business arrangements and contracts with wireless carriers to purchase usage of their networks (e.g., minutes of use, volume of data transfer, number of SMS messages, etc.) that the MVNOs in turn sell to their own subscribers. Based on these business arrangements and contracts, carriers and MVNOs have established detailed Terms of Service (TOS) and conditions for their subscribers. As such, if a subscriber is found in violation of these conditions they are typically given a warning, they have their subscription/service terminated or the like.
In today's MVNO prepaid marketplace, the prepaid phones that implement identification devices such as a subscriber identity module or a subscriber identification module (SIM) cards or Universal Integrated Circuit Cards (UICC) are strictly regulated in order to keep costs low and prepaid phone/rate offerings attractive. In an effort to diversify their revenue portfolio, MVNOs are now looking towards the postpaid market as a means to diversify their revenue portfolio but face a number of challenges based on the fact that: (1) MVNOs do not operate and control their own wireless networks and thus do not have the same ability as the carriers to implement provisional, billing, security and data controls on the backend to control network usage; and (2) MVNOs and, in turn, their subscribers are bound by the terms of services and conditions of the MVNO's business arrangements and contracts with the carriers associated with purchased network usage. In order for MVNOs to provide a comparable postpaid experience for its customers as provided for by the carriers, there is a need for MVNOs to provide customers with enough freedom of choice while still regulating the customers' usage of the network. To be competitive with carriers, MVNOs further need to provide attractive postpaid offerings to its customers while still keeping costs low enough to turn a profit based on the contractual obligations the MVNOs have with the carriers. For example, if MVNO customers exceed the collective network usage that has been contracted for by a MVNO, the MVNO is typically heavily charged or penalized.
The solutions for controlling and charging customers typically implemented by carriers do not mitigate the risks enough from the perspective of MVNOs whose business model is quite different of that of network carriers. Furthermore, the network solution implemented by carriers is extensive and complex, thus making it a slow solution to integrate. Additionally, it is also expensive in its implementation and expansive in its affects since this encompasses everyone on the network. Yet another shortcoming of the existing network solution is that it is easier for a carrier to absorb the cost of network traffic generated by its subscribers (violators of TOS) as they own the network versus MVNOs who have to pay exorbitant out of pocket fees for violations of its TOS with the carrier. Moreover, to date, MVNOs have no meaningful way to prevent TOS violators which can have a significant impact on their rate/phone offerings. For example, conventional postpaid SIM and UICC cards on the Global System for Mobile Communication (GSM) network are now unlocked (or can be unlocked) and can be moved between mobile phones without restriction, which can be particularly troublesome for MVNOs that only want their subscribers to use certain devices that have certain offerings.
Accordingly, there is a need for a Mobile Virtual Network Operator to be able to provide subscribers with the ability to have greater choice of services and devices while allowing the Mobile Virtual Network Operator the ability to limit the choice of services and devices.